Might be the set of speakers is getting old and just about done. Can he check with another set of speakers???

Dell computer usually put the sound driver on a Resource CD that comes with your computer. The 2 Dell that I've worked on had this. See if your sound has been stopped in Services Under Windows Audio. Start - Control Panel - Open Administrative Tools - Open Component Services - Click Services (Local) and Scrowl down the list to Windows Audio to see if it says - Started. If stopped Left click Windows Audio and click restart. - Or Right click Windows Audio - left click Properties - Left click Start If the above doesn't work, go to control panel and open System Icon - Hardware Tab - Device Manager - Click the + Plus sign for Sounds.......... - Right click Realtek AC 97 (Or whatever Sound you have) - Left click - Update Driver. To update you will need the CD that came with your computer Or go on the Internet to download the drivers for your sound. Find what sound your using. All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Information.

No software. However, I do have the sound working again. Using the HP help on the computer itself, I reset everything and still nothing. I decided to recheck the connections, since I was in semi-darkness when I connected the speakers. Yep, I had the sound cable plugged into the "IN" port rather than "Sound Out" port. That doesn't explain why I had sound briefly the other day after installing Java. That will remain a mystery. Now I just hope it continues to work.

The netbook is sitting on a hard table. I certainly watch Youtube videos on occasion, but not most of the time. I am usually just on line like right now. When the fan began running louder and began exhausting far more heat, it was doing it continuously, day and night and now it is quiet and cool. I just ran a couple of youtube videos without an increase in heat or fan. I also finally just remembered the name Task Manager to determine activity and see that not much is happening (one percent right now, idle processes 99 percent). Unfortunately we weren't looking at it yesterday when things were running so much warmer.